In 2010, Mountain Dew will roll out three products developed, designed, and even named by soft drink lovers themselves. Accomplished through the use of social media, dedicated websites, and on-the-street and in-home trials, the products -- if nothing else -- will truly represent the voice of the consumer (at least, the most passionate consumers, that is).
Even the look and messaging surrounding the products were crowd sourced, reports MediaPost. The process took place largely at a website called Dew Labs, where a community of 4,000 brand fans selected colors, messaging, and even created commercials promoting their favorite new flavors. Which begs the question: Who then is to blame should the new products debut to the sound of crickets?
Listening to and reacting to the voice of the consumer is certainly more important than ever. But which consumers should be the ones who dictate the future offerings of your brand? Will the 4,000 consumers most passionate about your brand end up creating and marketing a product that appeals to only themselves? Or can brand fanatics conceive of and build new offerings with broader mass appeal?
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